Aaron Ploof
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and K-Pop Demon Hunters, both from Sony Pictures Animation, have received critical acclaim for their storytelling and standout artistry. The studio’s newest film, GOAT, aims to score a slam dunk with critics and audiences once again. While its animation no doubt matches the caliber of the films that precede it, its writing and story beats are predictable. Still, while the film lacks originality, it does have style and heart.
GOAT centers on…well, a goat. Growing up extraordinarily small, Will Harris (Caleb McLaughlin) nonetheless has big dreams. Fueled by his loving mother, Will has his sights set on playing roarball (basketball). His idols make their living on the roarball court, starring in his favorite hometown team, The Vineland Thorns. He especially looks up to Jett Fillmore (Gabrielle Union), a black panther with extraordinary skill and attitude to match.
But now, as a late teen, Will has other obligations. His mother has since passed, and he is struggling to make rent while working as a delivery boy for a local diner. Will’s two friends, Hannah (Sherry Cola) and Daryl (Eduardo Franco), keep him company as he keeps his dream alive, practicing on the city’s ball court, even during nights when the rougher, tougher crowds gather there. His practice is paying dividends. Will handles a roarball with ease and can make three-pointers and trick shots effortlessly, a skill that also comes in handy when delivering meals.
Will doesn’t go unnoticed for long. Thanks to Hannah, a recorded match against Mane Attraction (Aaron Pierre), the horse MVP of the roarball league, goes viral. Soon, Will is offered the position of sixth player in the Vineland Thorns. The team’s owner, a warthog named Florence “Flo” Everson (Jennifer Lewis), is happy to have him join, but Jett is outraged at the prospect of having a goat on the team. In addition, the Thorns (and Jett) have long since lost their mojo, having fumbled every game of the season. Will Will be enough to boost the Thorn’s performance, or is he just a publicity stunt?
It’s immediately apparent how much work was put into the film’s animation. The colors pop vibrantly, and the frames flow smoothly into one another. Viewers will easily be entranced by the physical makeup of Vineland, with its condos built one on top of another, and the foliage wrapping the city in its greenery.
Even when the action moves to the court, the quality of the art doesn’t falter. In fact, it grows more impressive. Each court that the Thorns play on is built around a different aesthetic, from ice to red-hot lava. Watching Will’s teammates traverse hazardous obstacles in pursuit of scoring the ball is entertaining in and of itself.
Speaking of Will’s squad, they’re each given a unique personality trait, but they’re mostly one-note. Nicola Coughlan plays Olivia Burke, an ostrich who’s addicted to social media and keeps spare phones hidden away. David Harbour is Archie Everhardt, a rhino dad to two psychotic little daughters. Modo Olachenko, a fire-breathing komodo dragon, is voiced by Nick Kroll, and Stephen Curry plays Lenny Williamson, a rapping giraffe. Rounding out the team is their coach, Dennis Cooper (Patton Oswalt), a goofy, not-yet-confident proboscis monkey.
Out of all the team members, Jet and Will are the only ones with discernible arcs, and their storylines carry the theme. Will’s is simple. He’s a dreamer who dreams big, and he won’t let go of the passion he has for the game, even when others tell him he’s a “small” player who can’t play ball. His departed mother’s belief in him fuels him to achieve greatness. Jett hungers for greatness, too, and her past mistakes loom in her mind. Her stubbornness and inflexibility may lead her down the path to make even more. Pride is one of the biggest obstacles that Jett will have to face, while Will has to prove to doubters that he’s capable of great things.
Neither of these characters is particularly complex, though they are likable. While their actors capture their attitudes and personalities well, there’s not much originality here. This lack of uniqueness spills over into the writing as well. Will and Jett end their journeys pretty much in the exact place you would expect them to. The villain of the film, when revealed, isn’t much of a surprise either.
Yet while the film does rely on formula, it still warms the heart. Kids, especially, will enjoy the humor, even though their parents will no doubt be sighing. It is, however, inoffensive and focuses on important themes kids should learn about, such as teamwork, forgiveness, perseverance, and the importance of friends and family.
In short, while GOAT is definitely not the greatest of all time, it still succeeds as a fun, outstandingly beautiful, yet unoriginal family film. Anyone who enjoys playing their own games of roarball may very well enjoy seeing Will play his. Maybe some of Will’s passion will rub off on these viewers, inspiring them to dream big as well.
